Looking at the apples that Bella Smith took out from the box, the girls were all at a loss. Sarah Evans took the apple from Bella's hand, examined it carefully, and traced the lines with her slender fingers, her face puzzled.
The girls passed the fruit among themselves, each shaking their heads, unsure of its significance. John had only explained the basic power dynamics of the One Piece world, leaving it to the players to discover Devil Fruits, Haki, and physical abilities on their own.
In this version of the world, not everyone knew about Devil Fruits, especially in a town like Loguetown. Only a few notable pirates or Marine officers, like Smoker with his Moku Moku no Mi (Smoke-Smoke Fruit), were aware of them. Had it not been for Smoker's deterrence in Loguetown, someone might have already tried to steal the fruit as soon as it was revealed.
"Is this thing really worth ten million?" Bella asked, opening another box. Inside was another bizarre fruit, shaped like a pink pear with strange markings etched onto its skin.
"There's something underneath!" Bella exclaimed. She quickly pulled out a note hidden under the white apple.
"'Logia-type fruit,'" she read aloud.
"Logia? What does that even mean?" Sarah asked, her curiosity piqued.
Bella opened the second box and found another note, this time referring to a "Zoan-type, Usagi Usagi no Mi (Rabbit-Rabbit Fruit), Mythical Zoan, Moon Rabbit form."
"A rabbit fruit?" Jessica Tang raised an eyebrow. "What's a Moon Rabbit form?"
"Is it just a rabbit? We need to ask the boss."
As the girls debated, more players gathered near the execution platform. In the distance, a group of NPCs dressed as Marines began pushing people away from the platform.
Suddenly, a light flashed, and John appeared before the girls, though no one else in the game seemed to notice him.
"Why haven't you eaten the fruit yet?" he asked with a grin.
"Boss! We didn't know what it was! How could we eat it without knowing?" Bella pouted, sounding a bit frustrated.
John chuckled. "It's called a Devil Fruit, the greatest treasure in this world."
"The greatest treasure?" Olivia Su asked, leaning forward with interest.
John nodded. "Take it to any auction house, and you'll see its value. Oh, and I've activated the in-game money exchange. You can withdraw your earnings directly into your real-world accounts."
The girls gasped in shock. "Wait, boss, you're serious? We can actually make real money in the game?"
"Yup, if you don't want the fruit, just sell it."
They quickly checked their in-game property panels, noticing the new "Deposit/Withdraw" feature under "Berry," the currency of the game. Unlike typical games with complex stat systems, John's game kept it simple. There were no levels or preset moves—the players had to discover everything on their own.
"But boss, if everyone just withdraws money, won't you go bankrupt?" Olivia asked, her professional experience as a game planner making her suspicious of such a system.
John smiled, amused by their concern. "You think Devil Fruits are easy to find? These two you hold now are incredibly rare. It'll take most players a long time to find something of similar value."
He went on to explain how the game's economic system was structured. The in-game money-to-real-world exchange ratio was one-to-one hundred, meaning players could earn some pocket money, but making serious money required following the world's rules—and in this world, only the strong would thrive.
"You have to be strong to survive here," John concluded. "It's not just about earning; it's about keeping what you earn."
The girls were silent for a moment, digesting what John had said. Then, they noticed a group of players being arrested by the in-game Marines.
"Is there no one keeping order?" Bella asked, watching the scene.
"There is, right there." John gestured toward the Marines dragging the troublemaking players away. "The Marines keep things in check, but this is a pirate world. Do you think all pirates just give up when they see the Marines?"
John smiled at the group, knowing they were beginning to grasp the complex, unpredictable nature of the world he had created.
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